Cyclone separator

Abstract

Cyclone separator having a separating chamber with a primary portion of greater diameter at one end than at the other with at least one tangential feed inlet to the primary portion and two outlets each arranged axially and one extending from one end as the primary portion and the other from the other end thereof. The cyclone separator has a secondary portion leading from the smaller diameter end of the secondary portion and arranged to provide a constriction against flow therethrough. The outlet from the larger diameter end has a stepped bore.

I claim: 
     
       1. A cyclone separator comprising elements designed, sized and arranged for treating a mixture of fluids and more particularly an oil/water mixture for separating a more dense component from a less dense component thereof, said separator comprising a separating chamber having a primary portion which has a greater cross-sectional diameter at one end than at its other end and further having an overflow outlet at said one end thereof and an underflow outlet at said other end; at least one tangentially directed feed inlet proximate to said one end, said separator further including means designed, sized and arranged for acting to preclude contamination of the more dense component emerging from the underflow outlet by the less dense component, said means having an inlet end downstream of said other end of said primary portion with respect to the direction of flow of said separated more dense component, and an outlet end, said means presenting a passageway for throughflow of the more dense component, the diameter of which passageway has a diameter at said outlet end thereof which is from 1/3 to 0.8 the diameter thereof at said inlet end thereof. 
     
     
       2. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said primary portion is of a length which is at least ten times its diameter at the plane of said feed inlet. 
     
     
       3. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means is comprised by a secondary portion of said separating chamber at said underflow outlet. 
     
     
       4. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said primary portion comprises a first cylindrical section and a second cylindrical section contiguous therewith said overflow outlet being disposed at an end of said first section remote from said second section, said second section having said underflow outlet at an end thereof remote from said first section, said means being comprised by a third section at said underflow outlet. 
     
     
       5. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said primary portion comprises a frustoconical section and said means is comprised by a secondary portion of said separating chamber at said underflow outlet. 
     
     
       6. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 5 wherein said outlet pipe has a substantially constant diameter. 
     
     
       7. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means includes an outlet pipe extending from the underflow outlet. 
     
     
       8. A cyclone separator comprising elements designed, sized and arranged for treating a mixture of fluids for separating a more dense component from a less dense component thereof, said separator comprising a separating chamber having a primary portion which has a greater cross-sectional dimension at one end than at its other end and further having an overflow outlet at said one end thereof and an underflow outlet at said other end; at least one tangentially directed feed inlet proximate to said one end, said overflow outlet being in the form of a stepped bore to faciliate operation of the cyclone separator by reducing blocking therein, the stepped bore including: a first bore portion having a diameter of sufficient size to facilitate the preclusion of blocking therein, the first bore portion being adjacent said one end of said primary portion of said separating chamber, and a second bore portion of lesser diameter than the first bore portion, the diameter of the second bore portion being sufficiently large to permit continuous operation of the overflow outlet, the second bore portion being further from said one end of said primary portion. 
     
     
       9. A cyclone separator according to claim 8 wherein said overflow outlet is provided with means selectively operable to vary the the cross-sectional area of said outlets for permitting clearing of a blockage when occurring in that outlets. 
     
     
       10. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 9 wherein flow sensitive means is provided positioned and operable for detecting a decrease in flow through said outlets and for operating said area varying means for increasing the cross-sectional area for said clearing. 
     
     
       11. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 10 wherein said outlet is in the form of an outlet pipe and the cross-sectional area varying means comprises a mechanism including a portion of the wall of the pipe which is so movable as to open the side of the pipe to the exterior thereof. 
     
     
       12. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said portion is a side segment of the pipe which is movable outwardly away from the remainder of the pipe under influence of said mechanism 
     
     
       13. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 12 wherein said mechanism includes an electromagnet and the said flow sensitive means operates to apply electric current to said electromagnet for effecting movement of the segment away from the remainder of the pipe on said detecting of decrease in flow. 
     
     
       14. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pipe wall portion is pivotally movable away from the remainder of the pipe. 
     
     
       15. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 14 wherein the pipe wall portion is arranged to be subject, in use, to a bias towards a position effecting said opening of the side of the pipe, and said flow sensitive means is positioned to be normally acted upon directly by flow through the pipe to impart a force thereon which is directed against the outlet pipe wall portion to maintain it closed, said force, however, being reduced in the case of reduced flow through the pipe due to blockage whereby the aforementioned bias effects movement to open the side of the pipe. 
     
     
       16. A cyclone separator as claimed in claim 15 wherein the flow sensitive means comprises a pivotal lever having two arms extending from a location at which the lever is pivotal to said remainder of said pipe, one said arm being formed with means in use subjected flow thereonto from the separator and the other engaging the said pipe wall portion. 
     
     
       17. A cyclone separator comprising elements designed, sized and arranged for treating a mixture of fluids for separating a more dense component from a less dense component thereof, said separator comprising a separating chamber having a primary portion which has a greater cross-sectional dimension atone end than at its other end and further having an overflow outlet at said one end thereof and an underflow outlet at said other end; at least one tangentially directed feed inlet proximate to said one end, said overflow outlet being in the form of a stepped bore to facilitate operation of the cyclone separator by reducing blocking therein, the stepped bore including: a first bore portion having a diameter of sufficient size to facilitate the preclusion of blocking therein, the first bore portion being adjacent to said one end of said primary portion of said separating chamber; and a second bore portion of lesser diameter than the first bore portion, the diameter of the second bore portion being sufficiently large to permit continuous operation of the overflow outlet, the second bore portion being further from said one end of said primary portion, the separator having means designed, sized and arranged for acting to reclude contamination of the denser component emerging from said other end of said primary portion, said means comprising a constriction at said other end. 
     
     
       18. A cyclone separator according to claim 17, wherein said overflow outlet is provided with means selectively operable to vary the cross-sectional area of said outlets for permitting clearing of a blockage when occurring in that outlet. 
     
     
       19. A cyclone separator comprising elements designed, sized and arranged for treating a mixture of fluids for separating a more dense component from a less dense component thereof, said separator having a separating chamber having a primary portion which has a greater cross-sectional dimension at one end thereof than at its other end and further having an overflow outlet at said one end and an underflow outlet at said other end; at least one tangentially directed feed inlet proximate to said one end, said separator further including means designed, sized and arranged for acting to preclude contamination of the more dense component emerging from said other end portion by said less dense component, said means comprising a constriction at the other end of the primary portion, said constriction presenting a passageway for throughflow of said more dense component, the cross-sectional dimension of which passageway decreases away from said other end of said primary section to a dimension in the range 1/3 to 0.8 of the dimension of the passageway at the end of said constriction closest said other end of said primary portion; said overflow outlet being in the form of a stepped bore to facilitate operation of the cyclone separator by reducing blocking therein, the stepped bore including a first bore portion having a dimension of sufficient size to facilitate the preclusion of blocking therein, the first bore portion being adjacent said one end; and a second bore portion of lesser dimension than the first bore portion, the dimension of the second bore portion being sufficiently large to permit continuous operation of the overflow outlet, the second bore portion being further from said primary portion. 
     
     
       20. A cyclone separator according to claim 19, wherein said overflow outlet is provided with means selectively operable to vary the cross-sectional area of said outlets for permitting clearing of a blockage when occurring in that outlet.